The Open Heaven 17 June 2025 devotional for today is WORDS ARE POWERFUL II.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVEN 17 JUNE 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: WORDS ARE POWERFUL II
MEMORISE:
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:1
READ: Genesis 3:1-13
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 17 JUNE 2025 TODAY MESSAGE
Indeed, words are very powerful. For example, if you are married, there are certain statements you must never make to your spouse because even after forgiving you, it will take the grace of God for him or her to forget them, and this might affect the marriage for a long time.
For instance, you should never tell your spouse that you regret marrying him or her. You should also never compare your spouse with other people or tag them as enemies of progress. The damage from such statements may be irreparable because the self-esteem of your spouse might have been destroyed. Whenever you are angry, it is better to keep quiet than to say things you will later regret. If you must speak, always ensure that you address the issue at hand and not the person.
The devil always likes to fuel quarrels to make people say things that will negatively affect one or more of the parties involved. Playing the blame game and attacking people verbally only worsens problems.
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. Galatians 5:15
When people bite and devour each other with wrong and negative words, they usually end up destroying their relationships. Christians must not be ignorant of the devices of the devil so that he doesn’t take advantage of them (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Often, the devil wants relationships to be full of strife so that he can be free to do whatever he wants, and when people say hurtful words to one another, they stir up strife. If you do not want the devil’s involvement in your relationships, you should take out the wood of wrong and negative words whenever there are disagreements because if there is no wood, the fire will go out.
Instead of using harsh words when you have a disagreement with someone, your responses should be soft because a soft answer will always turn away wrath (Proverbs 15:1).
Beloved, if someone close to you has said hurtful words to you in the past, I plead on the person’s behalf that you should forgive him or her. Please don’t let the words bring permanent damage to yourself or your relationship with that fellow. If you are in this situation, I declare your healing today, and if you have lost any God-given relationships, may the Almighty God restore them in the name of Jesus.
KEY POINT:
Never speak harsh and negative words, no matter the provocation.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Psalms 69-72
HYMN 59: I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 17 JUNE 2025 COMMENTARY
Words as Relationship Builders or Destroyers
This devotional presents a sobering truth – words spoken in anger can inflict wounds that last longer than the conflict itself. Through biblical wisdom and practical insights, we’ll explore how to harness the power of speech to heal rather than harm, building relationships that reflect Christ’s love.
1. The Nuclear Words That Destroy Marriages
A. Three Forbidden Phrases in Covenant Relationships
- “I regret marrying you”
- Attacks the foundation of the union
- Violates Genesis 2:24’s “one flesh” principle
- Comparative Statements
- “Why can’t you be like…”
- Breeds insecurity (2 Corinthians 10:12)
- “You’re my enemy of progress”
- Assigns spiritual enemy status to covenant partner
- Opens door for demonic influence
B. The Anatomy of Verbal Wounds
- Unlike physical wounds:
- No visible scars
- Deeper penetration (Proverbs 18:8)
- Longer healing time
- God’s design:
- Words should build up (Ephesians 4:29)
- Seasoned with grace (Colossians 4:6)
2. Satan’s Playbook: The First Blame Game (Genesis 3)
A. The Original Conflict Blueprint
- Eve’s accusation: “The serpent deceived me” (v.13)
- Adam’s deflection: “The woman YOU gave me…” (v.12)
B. Modern Manifestations
- Marital conflicts: “Your family always…”
- Workplace strife: “This wouldn’t happen if you…”
- Church divisions: “The leadership never…”
C. The Devastating Results
- Broken fellowship with God
- Fractured human relationships
- Generational consequences
3. The Believer’s Communication Code
A. Crisis Communication Protocol
- When Angry:
- Implement the “Psalm 4:4 Pause”
- “Be angry, and do not sin…”
- When Provoked:
- Ask: “What’s the issue?” not “Who’s to blame?”
- Follow Christ’s model (1 Peter 2:23)
- When Wronged:
- Speak to build, not destroy (Proverbs 12:18)
- Leave vengeance to God (Romans 12:19)
B. The Soft Answer Strategy (Proverbs 15:1)
- Tone Matters More Than Volume
- Gentle words disarm aggression
- Timing is Crucial
- Ecclesiastes 3:7 principle: “A time to keep silence…”
- Content Must Edify
- Even correction can be loving (Proverbs 25:15)
4. Restoration Roadmap for Wounded Relationships
A. For the Offender
- Immediate Repentance
- Specific confession (James 5:16)
- Genuine Restitution
- Rebuild trust through consistency
- Spiritual Safeguards
- Memorize James 1:19
- Fast before difficult conversations
B. For the Wounded
- Choose Forgiveness
- Not based on feelings but obedience (Mark 11:25)
- Receive Healing
- Pray Psalm 147:3 over emotional wounds
- Set Healthy Boundaries
- Without building walls (Proverbs 4:23)
C. Mutual Practices
- Daily prayer together
- Weekly relationship check-ins
- Annual communication fasts (evaluate speech patterns)
Prayer for Speech Transformation
“Father, make me a conduit of Your healing words today. Where I’ve wounded others with my speech, bring conviction and restoration. Heal every word-wound in my heart. Fill my mouth with wisdom that turns away wrath and brings life to every relationship, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Conclusion: Building a Word-Proof Marriage
- Prevention Plan:
- Install “Proverbs 15:1 filters” on all conversations
- Emergency Response:
- When nuclear words are launched:
a) Immediate repentance
b) Professional counseling if needed
- When nuclear words are launched:
- Eternal Perspective:
- Our words will be judged (Matthew 12:36)
- But grace is available (Titus 2:11-12)
Final Charge:
- Spouses: Commit to a 30-day “soft answer challenge”
- Parents: Model Christlike speech for your children
- Leaders: Teach these principles in your congregations
Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow
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